"History", How to locate a Local Historical place

[kd7ost]

How do I even start to look for Historical sites?

In this thread I’ll discuss how I find and locate Historical sites of interest to explore. The discussion thread for this topic can be found here.

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=687321#post7473883

Every geographic region on earth has its own historical sites to discover. Living in the High Desert region of the US has certain advantages. Plant growth and precipitation are low and slow. This means erosion doesn’t happen rapidly. Large plants are not abundant due to the lack of rain and deep soil. Much of the surface is basalt rock from Lava flows and Granite from early earth formations. As a result, evidence of life left on the terrain by travelers up to several thousand years ago can easily be left intact. The High desert region is quite large, covering nearly one quarter of the US throughout the west. This still is the old west.

I live in a location just on the north edge of Owyhee County. Pronounce Hawaii and you’re close to Owyhee. In fact Owyhee County was named after a misspelling of Hawaii and some Hawaiian’s that were sent into the country in the 1800’s. They were never seen again and disappeared for the ages. (But that’s another story)

There exists much evidence of man having lived out there. Native Americans, Early settlers, Miners, homesteaders and ranchers all left their mark. In a few places, 4, 5 and 6 generations of Ranchers are still on the old homesteads claimed by their ancestors. But it’s a huge place with few roads. Most access off the beaten path requires a 4x4 vehicle with modest ground clearance and some good off road multi ply truck tires driving on jeep trails and two track. Oh, and bring a couple of extra spares. The basalt is sharp and will puncture right through the tread of a street tire. Even then, most all the terrain to cover means you have to find a close spot to your target search area, then simply get out and walk. Freezing nights in the high altitude desert are offset by 100 degree arid days. You have to be prepared. I never leave the roads or jeep trails with my vehicle just because it isn’t the right thing to do. I subscribe to the “Tread Lightly” rule. No one needs to know I’ve been there. And always tell someone where you will be and when you expect to return. If its unfamiliar territory, make sure to leave instructions as to the route you’ll be taking.

OK, that loosely sets the scene. Now, how do I find something to research without wandering aimlessly about for hundreds of square miles? In this thread I’ll spell out what I do to find historic places.

Much of the history is well documented. You can go to your local library to get historical books for your local area. I like to go to small museums like the one in the picture below. Be prepared to pay a pretty price for these. There aren’t many in print, they help support the local Historical society and supply and demand just dictates you might pay 15.00 to 50.00 for a good book that isn’t very common. These become great books for your own library. Always consider your local libraries too.

Another great source, perhaps one of the best is to join your local Historical Society. There may be several so do a web search or ask at those local Museums that cover the area you’re interested in searching. The fee is usually a pretty small token fee. 20.00 to 30.00 a year up here in Idaho. But the members eat live and breathe the history. They have learned things word of mouth that you won’t likely find in books. Once you introduce your self and show some of your AP work, they’ll likely want to drag you along on their own adventures of discovery.

Museums also frequently have reader boards. These tell a short story and give place names. These can be collected in a notepad and you can use the Topozone example in the next post to find them. A good look through a local Museum shows you what you might run into out in your travels. Usually if you find something that is an artifact, there are others near by. Then travel there and collect your own unique take on the surroundings.

Dan

[kd7ost]

Next, just read. (I have to read at night in bed to unwind) I keep a note pad handy or keep a blank piece of paper for a book mark and a pencil on the bed stand. As I run across certain things that jump out at me I make a note of them. Later I put them on my computer in a word file where I can add information as that particular project grows.

Lets do an example from the book, “OWYHEE TRAILS, The West’s Forgotten Corner”, by Mike Hanley with Ellis Lucia. ISBN 0-87004-281-5. My wife found this one for 14.95 at the Owyhee County Museum shown in the picture.

I start to read and not far into the book I read these paragraphs on pages 14 and 15.


Juniper Mountain, also to the south, never excited the miners much because of its volcanic origin, while the rest of the Owyhee Range is mainly mineral producing granite. Juniper Mountain is separated from the main range by the deep canyon of the North Fork of the Owyhee River, with its dramatic cathedral-like walls that hold the drama of the centuries. On the south, Juniper is cut off from the surrounding desert by the Middle or East Fork, and these two forks join a third stream, South Fork to form the main Owyhee River which dumps into the Snake. The rivers, the canyons, and the rugged mountain became a natural stronghold for the Indians, a stout fortress that the white volunteers and the Army never conquered. At Three Forks, the troopers lost a cannon while rafting it across the river swollen by the spring runoff. The Rushing water broke up the raft and the cannon sank to the bottom.
Three Forks became a strategic crossing on the route to and from the Idaho mines, Nevada and California. The Army built a fort there to protect the ford, but the Indians soon drove the troops away and travelers had to fend for themselves.

It goes on but “Ah Ha”. A sunken Cannon, a Fort, a ford, Indian attacks on the encroaching white man all located on a well traveled historic (remote and abandoned) road, and a location. All these clues found in just a few lines from a book. Despite the years that have gone past, the Desert will hold clues to the historic activity. Now I just need to find that spot and figure out how and when to get there.

My favorite way to start (it always works for me), is to go to http://www.topozone.com/. Topozone contains all the USGS (United States Geological Survey) information from the original land surveys. Over the years it has been updated. It shows things that no other maps show. Here’s a picture story showing how I used topozone in the above example. I wanted to know where the three creek convergence was. I already knew that Juniper Mountain was in Southern Idaho in the Owyhee Mountains. These pictures show how I searched for the spot I want to visit. Once you find the location, just search in the Topo maps on the roads to get there. I always purchase the 7.5 minute topo map of the area. Sometimes I get the surrounding ones too. These are available in most fair sized towns where Maps are sold.